Saturday, September 28, 2013

BMC gives top-floor residents a bigger say

Absence of a comprehensive policy on the issue until now has resulted in hundreds of illegal towers

Revised rules require telecom companies to also seek permission for mobile towers from people living on top floor.

Telecom operators will now have to obtain the consent of residents
living on the top floor to install mobile towers atop their buildings,
civic authorities said on Tuesday.

The new rule is among some
key changes made by the BMC to its mobile tower policy that was
announced last month. The changes were made to incorporate guidelines
issued by the central government's Department of Telecom (DoT) recently.

Among other things, they require the BMC to form panels to
address residents' complaints against illegal mobile towers and their
concerns over radiation exposure. Citizens will be among the committee
members.

Mobile towers atop residential buildings have been a
hot button issue in the city for the past three years. While their
installation helps housing societies earn substantial revenue, citizens
and activists complain that they pose health risks and also put a strain
on buildings' structural strength.

Absence of a comprehensive
civic policy on the issue until now resulted in hundreds of illegal
towers coming up across Mumbai. A recent BMC survey revealed that of the
4,779 cell towers in the city, 3,620 are illegal.

Why their vote matters

A senior BMC official said that henceforth telecom operators would have
to mandatorily seek permission from people living on the top floor,
apart from obtaining clearances from other stakeholders. "Residents of
upper floors are most affected by installation of cell towers, and hence
their opinion is important," the official said.

The original
cell tower policy required telecom companies to secure permission from
70 per cent of the occupants in a building. There was no special mention
of top-floor residents. The revised policy says that the figure of 70
per cent should also include the vote of this group.

Another
civic official said that other changes suggested by the DoT would also
be incorporated in the BMC's policy within a week.

"To set up a
cell phone tower on a building, telecom operators will have to obtain a
no-objection certificate from its owner or person/s with rooftop
rights," the DoT guidelines say.

Meanwhile, citizens and corporators want the civic authority to put up a list of legal and illegal cell towers on its website.

"This will help us identify unauthorised structures atop buildings.
Many residents are not aware if the tower on their rooftop is legal,"
said BJP corporator Vinod Shelar, who has been leading a public campaign
against illegal towers.

Shelar said that the new DoT
guidelines also require the BMC to set up panels to handle citizens'
grievances on the issue. "There should be no delay in forming such
committees, which will comprise officials and residents," he said.

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

BMC's policy, enforced last month, has limited the number of mobile
towers per building to two. It has banned towers in and around schools,
colleges and hospitals. Telecom firms will have to obtain the consent of
building owners and 70 per cent of the residents to install a tower
atop a residential complex. The majority verdict should also include the
vote of residents living on the top floor.

ILLEGAL TOWER HUB: BORIVALI

There are 4,779 mobile phone towers in the city. Of these, 3,620 are
illegal. Borivali has the highest number of such structures: 342.
Malabar Hill and Bandra (W) have 333 and 300 illegal cell towers,
respectively.